Plastic capsule for large bottles

ABSTRACT

The plastic capsule, especially for large-volume bottles for use in dispensers, includes an openable zone ( 4 ) which is accessible from the outside and closed by a cap ( 3 ) is externally protected by a disc ( 5 ) which is made in a single piece with the capsule. The cap ( 3 ) is peripherally connected to the openable zone by easy-break ribs ( 6 ) and also by a thin annular skin ( 6   a ) which hermetically closes an annular space existing between the upper surface ( 1   a ) of the capsule and the disc ( 5 ).

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The invention relates to a plastic capsule for large bottles withhigh capacity, destined to be used in drinks dispensers.

BACKGROUND ART

[0002] The prior art has for a considerable time taught large bottles(usually 20 liters) containing water, which are inserted in waterdispensers having a tap valve. In order to be usable with various typesof dispenser, however, these bottles have to be of standard shape andsize, especially as regards their mouths.

[0003] These bottles are generally closed by a single-use capsule,usually made of plastic, which has an opening zone that is accessiblefrom the outside, so that at the moment when the bottle is inserted inthe distributor a spout of the dispenser is also inserted, enabling thewater in the bottle to be accessed. The openable zone is normallylocated in the centre of the capsule, and is closed by a cap which ispushed into the bottle itself by the spout when the bottle is insertedin the dispenser. The openable zone of the bottle capsule is externallyprotected by a guard, usually a cover or a thin paper or plastic discglued onto the upper part of the capsule, which is removed beforeinserting the bottle in the dispenser. Internally of the capsule thereis a seal disc which, when the capsule is inserted on the bottle, staysat the bottle mouth to guarantee a seal.

[0004] Some examples of these known capsules are described in EP0816283, U.S. Pat. No. 5,687,867, U.S. Pat. No. 5,123,555 and U.S. Pat.No. 5,222,530.

[0005] When making these capsules, which are produced and used inconsiderable numbers, it is extremely important to limit the unit costof production. For this reason it is extremely important to limit thenumber of pieces necessary for manufacturing the capsule, and thequantity of material necessary for realising the various pieces thereof.

[0006] The main aim of the present invention is to provide a capsulehaving a limited number of pieces and which uses a limited quantity ofmaterial for realising the various pieces, thus considerably reducingmanufacturing costs.

[0007] An advantage of the present invention is that it provides acapsule which is extremely easy to use.

[0008] A further advantage of the present invention is that it providesa capsule which can be used on standard-sized bottles.

[0009] These aims and advantages and more besides are all attained bythe capsule of the invention, as it is characterised in the claims thatfollow.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

[0010] Further characteristics and advantages of the present inventionwill better emerge from the detailed description that follows of apreferred but non-exclusive embodiment of the invention, illustratedpurely by way of a non-limiting example in the accompanying figures ofthe drawings, in which:

[0011]FIG. 1 is a section in vertical elevation of the capsule of theinvention applied on a large bottle illustrated partially and with someparts removed;

[0012]FIG. 2 is a view from above of the capsule of FIG. 1.

[0013] In the figures of the drawings, 1 denotes a capsule destined tobe used for closing large bottles 2, normally with a 20-liter capacityand destined to contain water. The bottles are inserted in specialdistributors which dispense water through a tap valve. In order to beinserted in the various types of distributors, the bottles are of astandard size and shape, especially around the area of their mouths,which exhibit a cylindrical annular projection 2 a fashioned on the neckof the bottle at a predetermined distance from the mouth of the bottle,and a specially-shaped external annular projection 2 b made on theexternal surface of the bottle 2 close to the mouth. Both thecylindrical annular projection 2 a and the external annular projection 2b have standard locations and dimensions in the various bottles. As withknown capsules of this type, the capsule of the invention comprises anopenable zone 4 which is delimited by a cylindrical wall 1 d whichprojects coaxially and internally of the capsule from the upper surface1 a of the capsule itself.

[0014] The openable zone 4 is, as will be described in more detailherein below, accessible from the outside. The openable zone isinferiorly closed by a cap 3 which is inserted sealingly in thecylindrical wall 1 d. Water is removed through the openable zone 4, aswill be better described herein below.

[0015] The capsule of the invention comprises a protection element forthe openable zone 4 which in turn comprises a disc 5 which is fashionedsuperiorly of the openable zone 4 and made in a single piece with thecapsule. The disc 5 is peripherally connected with the opening of theopenable zone 4 by means of easy-break ribs 6, and is coplanar to theupper surface 1 a of the capsule. For reasons that will be betterexplained herein below, two opposite ribs are preferable as illustratedin the figure of the drawings, though three could also be provided.

[0016] To complete the protection of the openable zone, the protectionelement of the capsule further comprises a thin annular skin 6 a whichis made in a single piece with the capsule during its injection-forming.The skin 6 a is very much thinner than the upper surface 1 a, the disc 5and the ribs 6. The skin 6 a provides a hermetic closure of the annularspace between the upper surface 1 a of the capsule and the disc 5. Asthe capsule 1 is made by injection-moulding for food use, the thinannular skin 6 a is manufactured as a sort of fin or burr, which is veryeasily obtained by leaving, in the zone corresponding to the annularskin 6 a, a slight distance between the upper die and the lower die usedfor making the capsule. The capsule further comprises an externalannular hoop 1 c which effectively constitutes the lateral wall of thecapsule. The dimensions of the hoop 1 c are such that, when the capsuleis mounted on the container, the hoop 1 c rests on the annularprojection 2 a of the bottle neck and does not laterally project fromthe neck of the bottle. In this way the capsule remains very small withrespect to known capsules. Furthermore, the arrangement of the hoop 1 cmeans that the capsule is difficult to remove from the neck of thebottle, as it is both difficult to grip the bottle by hand and difficultto introduce tools between the hoop 1 c and the neck of the bottle.

[0017] The capsule of the invention also comprises an internal hoop 1 bwhich is fashioned internally of the capsule 1 and coaxially thereto.The internal hoop 1 b projects from the internal surface of the capsule1 and is so dimensioned as to fit sealingly internally of the mouth ofthe bottle 2 when the capsule 1 is inserted on the bottle. The internalhoop 1 b is obtained directly during the moulding of the capsule, andguarantees the seal of the capsule, eliminating the need for seal discsinternally of the capsule.

[0018] The capsule further comprises an internal annular projection 1 ewhich is internally fashioned on the capsule 1; the annular projection 1e defines, with the internal annular hoop 1 b, a seating in which, whenthe capsule is inserted on the bottle, the external annular hoop 2 bmade on the external surface of the bottle neck 2 inserts. In this way agood and solid grip of the capsule on the bottle neck 2 is obtained.

[0019] The upper part of the capsule has a slightly larger diameter thanthe diameter of the external hoop 1 c and defines, in the connectionzone between the external hoop 1 c and the upper part of the capsule, anannular projection 1 f having a hook-shape. This resulting hook meansthat the capsule is easily gripped by known-type machines typically usedin bottling plants.

[0020] The capsule of the invention is press-inserted on the bottle inthe bottling plant. Up until moment of use, the capsule remains solidlyanchored to the bottle and its removal is particularly difficult becausethe external hoop 1 c constitutes a sort of single surface with theexternal surface of the annular projection 2 a of the neck of thebottle, making a manual extraction (even using tools) of the capsulefrom the bottle difficult.

[0021] The openable zone 4, which as in known capsules is inferiorlysealingly closed by the cap 3, is protected superiorly by the disc 5 andthe annular skin 6 a which completely close the openable zone 4,preventing any external agents such as dust or the like from penetratinginside the capsule.

[0022] Furthermore, the bottle cannot be opened without signal thereofdue to the presence of the easy-break ribs 6 and the skin 6 a, whichconstitute a sort of anti-tamper security device. Note that, both theprotection in the openable zone and the security device are obtaineddirectly during the manufacturing of the capsule, without any need, asthere is in known capsules, to add further elements, such as glued-ondiscs and the like.

[0023] When in use, the disc 5 is manually removed; the operation isparticularly easy because, following a slight pressure, the disc 5rotates around the ribs, after rupturing the thin skin 6 a, and cantherefore be gripped by hand and pulled to break the ribs.

[0024] Thereafter, as happens with known capsules, a spout is introducedinto the openable zone of the capsule, which, after having pushed thecap 3 into the bottle, penetrates into the bottle and enables the waterto be removed. Note that the cap 3 exhibits no contamination fromexternal agents because, up until the moment of use, the cap 3 ishermetically protected.

[0025] When the empty bottle is returned to the bottling plant, removalof the old capsule is made extremely easy by virtue of the presence ofthe annular projection 1 f which enables the capsule to be easilygripped by the handling machines.

1). A plastic capsule (1) for large bottles (2), comprising: an openablezone (4), delimited by a cylindrical wall (1 d) projecting coaxiallyfrom an upper surface (1 a) of the capsule, which openable zone (4) isaccessible from outside and is closed by a cap (3), and through whichopenable zone a liquid, usually water, is removed from the bottle;further comprising a protection element for the openable zone (4);wherein a disc (5) is provided, located superiorly of the openable zone(4) and made in a single piece with the capsule, which disc (5) isperipherally connected to the cylindrical wall (1 d) of the openablezone (4) by means of easy-break ribs (6), and is coplanar to the uppersurface (1 a) of the capsule (1); the disc (5) comprising a thin annularskin (6 a), made in a single piece with the capsule and being muchthinner than the upper surface (1 a) of the disc (5) and the easy-breakribs (6), which annular skin (6 a) hermetically closes an annular spaceexisting between the upper surface (1 a) of the capsule and the disc (5)and together with the disc (5) constitutes the protection element. 2).The capsule of claim 1, comprising an external annular hoop (1 c) which,when the capsule is mounted on the bottle, rests on an annularprojection (2 a) of a neck of the bottle in such a way as not to projectlaterally from the neck of the bottle. 3). The capsule of claim 1,comprising: an internal annular hoop (1 b), afforded internally andcoaxially of the capsule (1), which projects from an internal surface ofthe capsule (1) and inserts sealingly internally of a mouth of thebottle (2) when the capsule (1) is applied on the bottle (2). 4). Thecapsule of claim 3, comprising an internal annular projection (1 e),afforded internally of the capsule (1), which internal annularprojection (1 e), together with the internal annular hoop (1 b), definesa seating in which an external annular projection (2 b) fashioned on anexternal surface of the neck of the bottle (2) inserts when the capsuleis mounted on the bottle (2). 5). The capsule of claim 2, wherein anupper part of the capsule (1) has a slightly smaller diameter than adiameter of the external annular hoop (1 c) and defines, in theconnection zone between the external annular hoop (1 c) and the upperpart of the capsule (1), an annular projection (1 f) having ahook-shaped section. 6). The capsule of claim 1, wherein the capsule (1)is manufactured by injection-moulding, and is made of plastic for usewith foodstuffs. 7). The capsule of claim 1, comprising two easy-breakribs (6) which are in diametrically opposed positions.